Refrigerating apparatus



Nov. 17, 1959 .1. H. HEIDORN 2,91

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 21, 1957 'lIIIIIlIIIIII/l J2 T! L mu Hill Z5 I"! :1: :1: 1111".

+3 Y ii lll INVENTOR.

- 7 2 a Q? 9 HIS ATTORN Y John H. h'eidom United States Patent REFRIGERATING APPARATUS John H. Heidorn,'Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application August 21, 1957, Serial No. 679,357 4 Claims. (Cl. 230186) This invention relates to a compressor of a refrigerating system and particularly to a discharge valve arrangev ment therefor.

It has been difficult to provide an efiicient refrigerant discharge valve arrangement in compressors of the type used in refrigerating systems employed to air condition automobiles while at the same time preventing the arrangement from creating or generating violent or loud objectionable noises when the compressor is operated at top speed. I have discovered that by providing each compression chamber of such. compressors with a plurality of discharge ports or passages and a valve common to one of the plurality of ports of one compression chamher and to one of the plurality of ports of an adjacent compression chamber and to mount the valve in a certain manner portions thereof cooperate with one another to augment or aid opening and closing movements of the valve portions whereby this augmentation not only renders the valves relatively quiet in operation but also in-f creases the efficiency thereof and of a compressor. This in effect causes a portion of a reed-type valve to move in 2,913,168 Patented Nov. l7, 1959.

In the drawingsi t Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a compressor with parts thereof broken away to show my improved valve arrangement appliedthereto;

Figure 2 is a slightly enlarged sectionalview taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing a plurality of separated and independent valves incorporated in the axial compressor; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view'taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing portions of a reed valve associated with exhaust passages communicating with compression cylin ders and illustrating the rocking action of a discharge valve. I

Forthe purpose of illustrating my invention the improved valve arrangement herein disclosed is shown applied to a compressor of the type disclosed and fully described in the J. L. Gibson et a1. copending application rocker-like fashion to alternately move other portions of the valve for opening or closing a plurality of ports of a cylinder during compression and intake strokes of the piston therein whereby the other portions of'the valve cooperate with one another to assist movement of each other. A primary object of my invention is, therefore,

to provide an eflicient refrigerant discharge reed valve arrangement for a compressor of a refrigerating system which will eliminate slapping or pounding of valves against their seat so as to reduce the generation of noises during operation of the compressor.

More particularly, it is an object of my invention to provide an improved, low-cost highly eificient valve arrangement in an axial type fluid compressor. Z

Another object of my invention is to provide a unique reed valve arrangement for'a fluid compressor wherein a single valve has spaced integral portions disposed for controlling a discharge port of one compression chamber and a discharge port ofa separate individual adjacent compression chamber and wherein movement of a por tion of the valve assists movement of other portions 'thereof during operation of the compressor to render the valve quiet.

A still further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a continuous ring-like reed valve for an axial type compressor which is common to one of a plurality of outlet passages of a compressor bore and to one of a plurality of outlet passages of an adjacent bore and to mount the valve in a manner whereby a portion thereof intermediate the passages will move in rockerlike fashion during operation of the compressor in opening and closing the passages.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being-had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown. v

31 is a flat continuousuing like element havingenlarged? S.N. 430,768, filed May 19, 1954, now Patent No. 2,825,- 499, assigned to the assignee of the present application, to which reference is hereby made for a more complete description of the compressor per se.

In the arrangement shown in the drawing, the reference numeral 10 generally designates an axial type compressor. The compressor 10 includes the usual main drive shaft 12 provided with a splined exposed 'end' 13 to which an axial drive pulley (not shown) is attached. Numeral 14 designates a cylinder block welded or secured. to housing 16 of compressor 10 in any suitable manner. A cylinder head 17, provided with a high pressure refrigerant outlet chamber 18 and a low or suction pressure refrigerant inlet chamber 19, is also welded to housing 16. The usual valve plate 21 is'provided as shown disposed between cylinder head 17 and cylinder block 14. Plate 21 is'provided with a plurality of inlet and outlet ports or passages 22 and 23 respectively' adapted to establish communication between the inlet chamber 19 and axially arranged cylinders or bores 24 provided in cylinder block 14and between the outlet chamber 18 and the cylinders or bores 24. Theplurality of outlet ports 'or passages 23 include at least two such ports or passages for'each bore or cylinder'24 (see Figures 2 and 3). Each bore or cylinder 24 has a piston 26 operable or reciprocable therein in the usual manner and compressor 10 contains suitable mechanismor means for reciprocating the pistons 26 in sequence around the central axis of housing 16 as is disclosed in the copend ing application hereinbefore referred to. Inlet ports 22 are controlled by reed valves28 secured to one side of plate '21 by the rivets 29. The two outlet ports or passages 23 of each bore 24 are controlled by reed valves generally designated at 31 and secured to the opposite side of plate 21 under a retainer or stop member 32 by a rivet 33. Refrigerant to be compressed by compressor 10 enters the chamber 19 in cylinderhead 17 through aconduit 36. The refrigerant enters the cylinders 24 by way of ports or passages 22 under control of thev'alves 28 as is conventional in the art. After the refrigerant gas has been compressed, it is discharged from the cylinders 24, by pistons 26, into the cylinder head chamber 18 and out of the compressor by way of a conduit 37. It being understood that suitable partitioning means is included in the cylinder head structure 17 to isolate the chambers 18 and 19 therein from one another.

According to my invention and in order to obtain an' efiicient and quiet valve arrangement for compressor 10 and to also render the compressor more eflicient in operation I provide the plurality of separate" andindividual valves 31 for controlling the outlet ports or passages 23 instead of and as distinguished from a disk member having a series of reeds formed thereon by stamping out portions thereof. It is to be-noted that each reed valve valve "or port closing portions 41 and a notched out portion-42 at the end of an inward extension provided thereon. The valve retainer stop'member 32 for each valve 31 is shaped similar to the valves and includes a. raised stop portion in the vicinity of the valve port 'closing portions 41 (see Figures 1 and 3) xfor limiting their lifting movement. Each retainer stop member 32 has a stamped or pierced projection-43 thereon (see Figure 1) which is passed-through the notched out portion 42 of a: reed valve 31'and fits in a recess in plate 21. Projection '43 and "rivet 33 cooperate to prevent turning of a valve 31 with respect to the plate 21 upon which the valves are mounted. Rivet 33 for each valve 31 secures a valve to plate "21 at apoint'thereon between one of the two outlet ports 23 of a cylinder or bore 24 andone of the two outlet ports 23 of an adjacent cylinder or bore, offset laterally with respect to a straight line extendedthrough the axes of these round ports 23. A connecting portion 44 on each valve.31 intermediate the enlarged port or passage closing portions 41 thereof is adapted to move in rocker-like fashion during operation of the compressor asand fora purpose to be presently described. In the arrangement disclosed one valve closing portion 41 of the two such portions on each valve 31 cooperates with one of the two outlet ports for adjacent or side by side radially disposed cylinders or bores 24.

During operation of compressor Ill the valves 31 open and close the discharge passages or ports 23 in a unique and novel manner. For example, as the pistons 26 are sequentially reciprocated in bores or cylinders 24, to compressrefrigerantfiuid therein, one valve closing portion 41 of each of two adjacent valves 31 open the two ports or passages 23 to discharge the compressed fluid into chamber 18 as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. These valve portions may open simultaneously or one after the otherwhereby their opening causes the connecting portion 44 thereof intermediate valve portions 41 to move in rocker-like fashion on plate 21. This rocking movement of valve portion 44 of the one opened valveportion 41 of each of two adjacent valves 31 in addition to assistingin lifting another one of the valve portions 41 of adjacent valves also tends to aid seating of the other one of the valve portions 41 of the two adjacent valves. It being understoodthat the piston 26 in the cylinder or .bore 24 on one side of the cylinder wherein valve portions 41 have been opened is advancing toward a fluid compression stroke and the piston in the cylinder-2'4 on the other side .of the cylinder wherein valve portions 41 havebeen opened is retracting during a fluid intake stroke. The rocking of valve portion 44, by movement of valve closing portions41 on valves 31, in the present disclosure, during sequential reciprocation of pistons 26 along and around the axially disposition of the cylinders, provides asmooth quiet valve arrangemnet due to an integral portion of .each valve aiding the opening and closing of another integral portion thereof and renders the compressor" highly ellicient. The elimination of a single discharge port orpassage for each of the compression chambets or cylinders and a separate or independent valve for sucha discharge port alongwith the provision for'the cooperation of a valveportion for one cylinder witha valve portion of an adjacent cylinder is advantageous for several reasons. In the present disclosure a first portionand a second portion of a single valvecommon to adjacent cylinders is provided. The compressor fluiddischarge ports are controlled in a unique manner and there are nosseparate port controlling valves present that are free to pop open and bang closed. Thus noise generated bytseparate independent valvesfor a single discharge port are "eliminated to provide a quiet valve arrangement in a radial or axial multiple compression cylinder compressor. In addition, manufacturing difficulties encountered in matching a plurality of valves stamped from or formed in.-a. single disk-like .plate with the .grain ofthe machined metal of. such plateistalso eliminated.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is'to be understood that other forms'might be adopted as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a refrigerant compressor, a cylinder block provided with a plurality of axially arranged bores, a piston operable in each of said bores, a cylinder head secured to said cylinder block and provided'with a refrigerant inlet chamber and a refrigerant outlet chamberga plate disposed intermediate said cylinder block and said cylinder head, each of said bores having an inlet passage in said plate communicating with said refrigerant inlet chamber and a plurality of outlet passages communicating with said refrigerantoutlet chambensaidpistons being reciprocable in sequence within said axially arranged bores, and a continuous ring-like reed valve common to one of the plurality of outlet passages of a bore and to one of the plurality of outlet passages of an adjacent bore, said valve being secured to said plate at a point thereon between said passages and olfset with respect to a straight line extended through the axes thereof whereby a portion of the valve moves in rocker-like fashion during operation of the compressor to open and close said passages.

2. In a compressor, a cylinder'iblock provided with "a plurality of axially arranged bores, a piston operablein each of said bores, a cylinder'head secured to said cylinder block and provided with an outlet chamber common to said plurality of bores, each of said bores having an inlet port communicatingtherewith, a plate disposed intermediate said cylinder bloclcand said .cylinder' head, each of said bores having a plurality of outlet passages in said plate communicating with the chamber common thereto, said pistons being reciprocable in sequence within said axially arranged bores, a continuous ring-like reed valve of substantially elliptical planar shape having portions of one long sidethereof common to one of the plurality of outlet passages of a bore andto one of the plurality of outlet passages of an adjacent bore, and the other long side of said valve being secured to said plate at a pointthereonbetween said outlet passages and offset with respect to .a. straight line extended through the axes thereof whereby said one long side of the valve moves in rocker-like fashion during operation of the compressor to open and close said outlet passages.

3. In a compressor, a cylinder block provided with a plurality ofaxially arranged bores, a piston operable in each of said bores, a cylinder head secured to said cylinder block. and provided with an outlet chamber common to said plurality ofbores, each of said bores having an inlet port communicating therewith, a plate disposed intermediate said cylinder block and. said cylinder head, each of said bores having a plurality of outlet passages in said plate communicating with the chamber common thereto, said pistons being reciprocable in sequence'within said axially arranged bores, a continuous ring-like reed valve of substantially oval planar shape having portions of one long side thereof near its curved ends common'to one of the plurality of outlet passages of abore and to one of the plurality of outlet passages of an adjacent bore, and the mid-portion of the other long side ofsaid valve being secured to said-plate at .a point thereon between said outlet passages and olT-set'in a direction toward said' point of securement thereof with respect to a straight line extended through the axes of said passages whereby said one long side of the valve moves in rocker-like fashion to open and close said passages during operation of the compressor.

4. In a fluid compressor, a cylinder block provided with at least three compression chambers, a-piston operable in 'each of said chambers, means forming an inlet and two outlet portsfor each of said compression chambers, .means for sequentially operating said pistons, a pair of reed type valves of substantially elliptical planar shape for the outlet ports of said chambers, a first portion of one long side of each of said pair of valves being disposed over one of said two outlet ports of an intermediate chamber of said three chambers and a second portion of said one long side of the valves being disposed over one of said two outlet ports of the chambers adjacent said intermediate chamber for controlling flow of fluid through said ports, and the mid-portion of 'the other long side of each of said valves being secured to said compressor and causing said one long side of the valves to move in rocker-like fashion during operation of said compressor for minimizing noise of said valve portions upon opening and closing said outlet ports.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Nelson Apr. 8, Moody Jan. 4, Clapp June 28, Winkler Feb. 28, Summers Ian. 3, Ferguson Mar. 11, Kiekhaefer Feb. 23, Doeg July 3, Chayne et a1. July 9, 

